UMassD College of Engineering Winter Newsletter 2024

WINTER 2024 NEWS

Scientists and engineers from day one

CONTENTS

Founders’ Scholar Kailey Sousa

New Faculty

Dean’s Message

Scientists and Engineers from Day One

At UMass Dartmouth’s College of Engineering, our students have the talent and the drive to chase big dreams. The College of Engineering provides the education to make those dreams a reality.

In this newsle er, you’ll read about inaugural Founders’ Scholar Kailey Sousa ‘27. She started working alongside Professor Tracie Ferreira before the start of her first college semester in a paid research opportunity.

You’ll hear from a team of car enthusiasts turned mechanical engineers who are building an off-road vehicle from the ground up. Their journey will include a trip to the west coast for the ultimate international driving competition.

You’ll learn about the civil engineers who joined forces with students from the College of Visual and Performing Arts to work on engineering and design for climate resilience. They combined their talents to develop plans for the revitalization of the city of Fall River’s waterfront and present their designs to city planners and government officials.

Our students take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in meaningful ways, whether it’s by conducting cu ing-edge research, or taking on projects with real-world impact.

They accomplish this with the guidance of our internationally recognized faculty and state-of-the art facilities, like the newly reopened Hirshfeld-Dowd Observatory. Our graduates go on to have stellar careers. Jocelyn Damgaard ‘06 got hands-on experience during her time at UMassD, which led to the start of her career working with engineers developing new technologies. Now, she is a patent a orney at Boeing, working to protect engineers’ intellectual property.

Our outstanding accredited programs, upgraded facilities and investments in research have led to the recruitment of exceptional scholars and leaders in their field who are actively engaged in student mentoring and STEM education. Read on to learn about our new faculty who bring expertise to UMass Dartmouth in areas including industrial biotechnology, AI, optics, cybersecurity, gravitational wave physics, and high-performance computing.

I continue to be inspired by our students who are driven to achieve their dreams and faculty who mentor our students to achieve their full potential. I could not agree more with Jocelyn Damgaard ‘06 that “UMassD graduates are among the best.”

Jean VanderGheynst

Dean VanderGheynst celebrating the grand reopening of the Hirshfeld-Dowd Observatory

Best Undergraduate Engineering Program

U.S. News & World Report, 2022-2023 College Rankings

99%

of 2022 graduates from the College of Engineering are either employed or a ending graduate school

>$74,000

average entry-level salary for 2022 graduates with a bachelor’s degree in engineering

160

#1

Top 1%

in engineering of institutions nationwide awarding doctoral degrees to women – ASEE (2021)

84%

of full-time undergraduates who apply for financial aid receive it

$106M

UMass Dartmouth students receive approximately $106 million total in scholarships, grants, part-time employment, and loans

internships completed by 2021 engineering seniors at companies such as Titleist, Bose Corporation, eBay, Hewle -Packard, National Grid, and Pra & Whitney

15

Ranked in the top 15 schools nationwide for master’s degrees in physics among institutions granting the MS – American Physical Society

180+

student organizations, including numerous engineering-specific clubs that connect students with science and engineering professionals

for social mobility among universities in New England with a nationally ranked college of engineering - 2023 U.S. News & World Report

College of Engineering

WELCOMES FIRST FOUNDERS’

One of two students awarded the inaugural UMass Dartmouth Founders’ Scholarship, fi rst-year student Kailey Sousa (Acushnet, MA) joined the College of Engineering as a bioengineering major in Fall 2023.

The Founders’ Scholarship is a highly competitive, four-year, full-ride scholarship available to Massachuse s residents with a cumulative GPA of 4.0 and who graduate high school in the top 10 percent of their class.

Why bioegineering?

“Bioengineering hits home for me. When my brother was diagnosed at 17 months old with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer, I admired the drive and passion everyone on his team had to make a difference. While cancer researchers are behind the scenes, the research being done usually goes a long way, and I knew that was where my heart always was. As a bioengineer, I can study cancer and work toward developing a cure while also engineering medical

devices and solutions that will help people right now. To me, it’s the best of both research and practical problem solving.”

Ahead of the game

At UMassD, students in the College of Engineering are “engineers from year-one,” but some get started even earlier than that. Though Sousa is a first-year student, she has already had the opportunity to conduct research and practice sophomore-level lab skills even before the start of her first semester.

FOUNDERS’ SCHOLAR

Massachuse s Life Science Center (MLSC) provided $70,000 to Tracie Ferreira, associate professor and chairperson of the Department of Bioengineering to support 20 New Bedford High School students for a 6-week paid internship. Now in its fi h year, the internship program provides students with the opportunity to learn about the biotechnology field and develop skills that will prepare them for a variety of STEM careers. This internship consists of 4 weeks of training in bioengineering with Dr. Ferreira, one week in medical laboratory science under the direction of Professor and Chairperson of the Medical Laboratory Science program, Frank Scarano, and one week in chemistry under the mentorship of Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry David Manke.

What are your fi rst impressions of your UMassD experience? Is it what you expected?

“I didn’t expect to be so busy! There are so many ways to get involved on campus, and I’ve found lots of things I want to be a part of. I’m not in my dorm most of the day, which is a good thing. Some of my friends are at bigger schools, but I find being at a smaller school means that connections here are more intimate and impactful. The community here makes it feel like home. College life has been a big adjustment; in that way, it’s what I needed, if not what I expected.”

What are your goals for your fi rst year of college? Your hopes for the next 4 years?

“My first-year goal is to get se led and explore the opportunities available to me. I want to start doing research and continue ge ing out of my shell.

“Over the next four years, I hope to join the 4+1 program and graduate with a solid plan for what comes next, whether that’s a PhD or a job in my field. I also hope to be a leader on campus and become a person other students can turn to for guidance or advice.”

Do you have a dream job?

“My dream job would be to conduct cancer research with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, supported by the Jimmy Fund. I hope to one day stand in the hall where the doctors who helped my brother once stood.”

It was an awesome experience. I joined a six-week paid internship program where we learned about biomedical engineering, medical lab science, and chemistry. We were actually learning some things that were part of the sophomore curriculum, so I feel I’m a step ahead, and more prepared for what comes next.”

- Kailey Sousa Bioengineering

NINE NEW FACULTY

Join the College of Engineering

The UMass Dartmouth College of Engineering has welcomed 9 new faculty members since 2022. These newest additions to the college bring a wealth of expertise, fresh perspectives, and deep commitment to student learning.

Christopher Brigham, PhD – Bioengineering: Dr. Brigham returns to UMass Dartmouth with a research focus on biomanufacturing, microbial genetics and physiology, bioplastics, biofuels, and microbiology.

Nefeli Bompoti, PhD – Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dr. Bompoti’s expertise is in reactive transport and environmental geochemistry, data-driven approaches in environmental systems, sustainable land reuse, societal impacts from environmental stressors, and environmental policy.

Long Jiao, PhD – Computer and Information Science: Dr. Jiao’s research interests include applied machine learning in cybersecurity, 5G/6G wireless security, and spectrum sharing security.

Yukui Luo, PhD – Computer and Information Science: Dr. Luo’s research interests include privacypreserving machine learning, cybersecurity, Cloud-FPGA Virtualization, hardware security, and high-performance cloud computing.

Ashokkumar Patel, PhD – Computer and Information Science: Dr. Patel teaches courses on advanced machine learning, big data analytics, and cybersecurity.

Ana Doblas, PhD – Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dr. Doblas’s current research interests are focused on optical engineering, computational optics, and three-dimensional imaging with emphasis on the design of novel microscopic imaging systems and their applications.

Sezer Goren, PhD – Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dr. Goren joined UMassD a er significant work experience as an engineer in Silicon Valley. Her research interests include design automation of digital systems, design verification and test, reconfigurable computing, embedded system design, hardware security, computer arithmetic, and deep learning.

Sarah Caudill, PhD – Physics: Dr. Caudill is an expert in gravitational-wave searches for compact binary coalescence of neutron stars and black holes.

Christian McHugh, PhD –Physics: Dr. McHugh is driven by an interdisciplinary approach to research, working at the intersection of physics and biomedical engineering.

UMass Dartmouth premieres renovations, REOPENS HIRSHFELD-DOWD OBSERVATORY

UMassD students studying astronomy and astrophysics now have access to their own observatory on campus. The observatory will facilitate research for undergraduates and graduate students and create opportunities for students of all ages to explore, discover, and reach for the stars.

At the recent grand reopening of the Hirshfeld-Dowd Observatory, the Corsair community gathered to explore the night sky. They experienced exclusive telescope sightings of a fully-ringed Saturn and bright star clusters in the Milky Way galaxy. In partnership with local astronomers from the Astronomical Society of Southern New England led by President Mark Munkascy, guests viewed the sky using a variety of telescopes, including the observatory’s primary instrument, a computerized 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

The grand reopening celebrated the commitment of UMass Dartmouth physics faculty and local astronomers to community engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to gi s to the observatory from donors including retired UMass Dartmouth physics professor Alan Hirshfeld and Edward “Ted” Brainard.

“When I was in college, I met my wife, Elizabeth, and we used to coordinate our schedules to have the same classes. One of them was astronomy, and I remember falling in love with space and her at the same time. This cause is near and dear to my heart,” said Brainard.

Aside from personal motivation to support these renovations, it is Brainard’s companionship with Hirshfeld and Hirshfeld’s belief in UMass Dartmouth students’ ability to be astronomical leaders that propelled the Brainard couple to generously fund a large portion of the observatory’s reopening.

“Since the 1960s, I’ve been impressed by the growth of UMass Dartmouth’s engineering college,” he said. “I hope students feel an excitement for science with these renovations. There

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is so much happening in outer space, and we need UMass Dartmouth students to provide interpretations. We need them to lead the nation in space discoveries.”

Munkascy hopes to expose science to all age groups with this reopening. He declared, “It is our mission to let undergraduate students and others in the community know they have the skills to make significant astronomical contributions.”

There’s a great community of people at UMass Dartmouth and in our region working on different aspects of gravitational science, including astrophysics, theory, and numerical and computational modeling,”

- Sco Field

Associate professor of mathematics and co-director of the data science program

PERCY MASON WILLIAMS ‘24:

A sense of belonging

For Percy Williams, UMass Dartmouth is where he found the people and the opportunities that would propel him toward a bright future as a computer scientist. Looking back on his UMassD experience, Williams refl ects on the sense of belonging he found among fellow Corsairs, and the support of his professors who helped him reach his goals.

Why did you choose UMassD? What makes this a good fit for you?

“I transferred to UMassD a er graduating from Bristol Community College (BCC) in 2021. The pandemic triggered a shi in my interests, and I decided to blend my biology background with technology. Studying computer science introduced me to a whole world of new possibilities. Since then, it has been a fulfilling experience academically, professionally, and personally.

“What makes UMassD special to me is the vibrant community. There are phenomenal people here who have not only supported and motivated me, but also created a sense of belonging within the Corsair community. You can see that everyone here genuinely wants you to be your best. These meaningful connections with professors, mentors, and peers affirm that UMassD is where I belong.”

Why did you choose to major in computer science? What is most exciting about it to you?

“The problem-solving potential in computers, especially in fields like medical devices, fascinated me. What is exciting to me is the versatility in how computer science can be applied to many different fields; there is always something new to learn in computer science. In the future of AI, safety and privacy have become paramount. My goal is to make the world a be er and safer place.”

What are you most proud of?

“Securing my first internship as a producibility engineer with Honeywell stands out as one of my proudest accomplishments. Implementing several new features on the front-end designs for their user interface (UI) allowed me to apply classroom learning in a real-world se ing.

Do you have a dream job after graduation?

“I’ve discovered an interest in both AI and cybersecurity, especially in the medical field. Protecting people in the health industry and beyond aligns with my desire to make a positive impact in the world. The dynamic nature of the field keeps me engaged, fostering continuous growth and learning.”

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“What makes UMassD special to me is the vibrant community. There are phenomenal people here who have not only supported and motivated me, but also created a sense of belonging within the Corsair community. You can see that everyone here genuinely wants you to be your best. These meaningful connections with professors, mentors, and peers affirm that UMassD is where I belong.”

- Percy Williams Computer Science

CHRISTOPHER NORTON ‘24

wins prestigious Google scholarship for student veterans

During the summer of 2023 electrical engineering major Christopher Norton ‘24 was awarded the prestigious Google Student Veterans of America Scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year. Norton is 1 of only 8 student veterans selected for this scholarship nationwide.

Google partners with the Student Veterans of America (SVA) to award scholarships to leaders in the student veteran community. Each year, they grant $10,000 scholarships to 8 former service members who are pursuing degrees in computer science and engineering. This highly competitive scholarship recognizes student veterans for their academic and professional achievements and positive impact in their communities.

Norton is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard (USCG). During his 9-year service as an aviation electronics technician, he accrued nearly 1,000 flight hours as a mission system operator supporting search and rescue, counter-narcotics, and maritime enforcement missions. A er his service, Norton began his pursuit of an electrical engineering degree at UMass Dartmouth. Currently, he serves as treasurer for the Student Veterans Association on campus. Norton has also completed multiple internships at Raytheon and participated in undergraduate research with Dr. Paul Gendron, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

“To me, being selected as a recipient of the Google Student Veterans of America scholarship is both humbling and an honor,” Norton said. “I am very grateful for all the opportunities and education provided here at UMass Dartmouth. I look forward to advancing the field of electrical engineering and helping future students find their role in the technology field.”

UMassD is designated as a gold-ranked Military Friendly® School, with leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience.

To me, being selected as a recipient of the Google Student Veterans of America scholarship is both humbling and an h onor,” Norton said. “I am very grateful for all the opportunities and education provided here at UMass Dartmouth. I look forward to advancing the field of electrical engineering and helping future students find their role in the technology field.”

- Christopher Norton Electrical engineering

CORSAIR RACING:

Mechanical engineering capstone students build off-road vehicle for international competition

A mechanical engineering capstone team is preparing to take their passion project on the road. The Baja car is an offroad vehicle built entirely by UMass Dartmouth engineering students. Now, they are working to bring the vehicle up to racing standards in time for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja international competition in southern California this spring.

Evolution of the Baja

The Baja car is a single-seat off-road vehicle designed and built by mechanical engineering senior design students and sponsored by the UMassD chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Students designed, manufactured, and built the vehicle in its entirety, with the exception of a few prefabricated pieces.

The current Baja vehicle is the result of years of work and collaboration. “Previous senior design teams built the drivetrain and the frame,” said 2024 team lead Cameron Fi on. “Our goal now is to improve the way it drives and get it up to competition standards.”

ASME students have not just built a car; they’ve created a community of passionate engineers, from freshman level to senior level, dedicated to conquering the off-road challenge,”

- Dr. Hamed Samandari Assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering, faculty advisor

Now, the 2024 team is hard at work readying the vehicle for competition. Cameron Fi on, Andrew Boardman, Fellipe Rouillard, Elias Medeiros, and Kyle Montague make up the 2024 Baja team.

More than just an assignment

Dr. Hamed Samandari, assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering, is the faculty advisor for ASME and has seen the Baja vehicle come to fruition. “The dedication and teamwork of our students are off the charts,” he said. “They’ve transformed a vision into a powerful Baja car in the three years during a pandemic. Our ASME students and Baja SAE team members are more than just students; they are the engineers of tomorrow in pursuit of excellence.”

Corsair road trip

Come April, the capstone team will travel more than 3,000 miles across the country with the Baja vehicle in tow for the international SAE competition in Gorman, CA.

The value of this project

“ASME students have not just built a car; they’ve created a community of passionate engineers, from freshman level to senior level, dedicated to conquering the off-road challenge,” Samandari said. “Over the past few years of mentoring ASME students, I’ve witnessed their transformation into confident problem solvers and effective communicators, all while taking on real engineering challenges.”

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COLLEGE ARTS STUDENTS

join forces to revitalize Fall River waterfront

Students in civil engineering and interior architecture and design work together to apply principles of climate resilience to benefit the city’s future and leave their mark on the SouthCoast.

On December 13, UMass Dartmouth students from the College of Engineering (COE) and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) gathered at the Fall River Government Center to present their proposals for how to develop the Fall River waterfront. In a endance were a number of city officials including Mayor Paul Coogan ‘76, City Engineer Dan Aguiar ‘94, City Administrator Seth Aitken, Director of Community Utilities Paul Ferland ‘06, and members of the Fall River Redevelopment Authority. Also in a endance was David Lunny of the global architecture firm Stantec, who recently won the bid to manage the waterfront redevelopment project.

The students’ presentations marked the culmination of a semester-long collaboration between COE and CVPA. With funding from the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement, Professors Jonathan Mellor (civil and environmental engineering) and Stephanie McGoldrick (interior architecture and design) teamed up to offer their students the chance to take on a project with real-world implications.

The Route 79 Improvement Project reconfigured the Route 79-Davol Street corridor in Fall River and freed up 17 acres of developable land along the city’s waterfront. Working in teams composed of both engineers and designers, students were

Courtesy of MassDOT.

COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING

tasked with creating plans for how to develop that land into a walkable neighborhood that will become a commercial and recreational destination for city residents and visitors alike. Using the city’s vision as a guide, the teams developed detailed proposals that addressed community needs, accessibility requirements, sustainability standards, climate mitigation and resilience, and economic viability.

A public university working with the city for the public good UMass Dartmouth’s partnership with the city of Fall River on the redevelopment project was facilitated by the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement. “The Leduc Center was opened with a vision of being the bridge between learning and community,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor for Career & Civic Engagement Ma hew Roy.

A class of 1976 alumnus of UMass Dartmouth (then Southeastern Massachuse s University), Coogan remarked, “This is one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the SouthCoast region. We are pleased to know that our city can depend on UMass Dartmouth as a partner.”

Visions for Fall River’s future

The goal of the waterfront redevelopment is to boost the city’s economic development and improve quality of life in the community. The student teams focused not only on what to put there and the logistics for how to do it, but also how their plans will fuel economic growth in the city for years to come.

Among the most important factors taken into account are the short- and long-term effects of climate change on the waterfront property. “Civil engineers and architects are on the front lines of climate adaptation and mitigation, and how cities adjust to the effects of climate change and take steps to reduce the severity of future damage,” said Mellor, who teaches a civil engineering course on climate resilience.

Students also discussed a number of sustainability measures such as green roofs, solar panels, rainwater collection, as well as figures on how quickly the cost of installation would be offset by energy cost savings.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Jocelyn Damgaard ‘06

Jocelyn Damgaard ‘06 is an engineer and patent attorney at Boeing. She shares how UMass Dartmouth set her on a career path helping inventive engineers safeguard their intellectual property.

How did you become interested in engineering?

“I was always good at math when I was a student. At 17, I wanted to design rollercoasters. When I was a senior in high school, I took advantage of the Early College opportunity at UMass Dartmouth and got to explore civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering before it was time to declare a major. That exploration helped me figure out that engineering was the right path for me.”

Why did you choose UMass Dartmouth?

“I was accepted to a number of strong engineering schools around the country. I ultimately chose UMass Dartmouth because I was awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship, and I never regre ed it.”

Are there any standout memories from your time at UMassD?

“A pivotal experience for me was working with the Center (ATMC), now known as the Center for Innovation

“A pivotal experience for me was working with the UMassD Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center (ATMC), now known as the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The ATMC was an incubator that provided business training for small startups. Through the ATMC, I had a paid internship at a high frequency antenna company called Micro-Ant, Inc., which led to my first job a er graduation.”

Why did you decide to go to law school? What’s the connection between engineering and law?

“As an intern at Micro-Ant, I noticed that the company had some groundbreaking designs (they were instrumental in the development of Sirius Satellite Radio technology)

I can’t emphasize enough the quality of a UMassD engineering education. The professors are so directly involved with their students and their success.”

-

Jocelyn Damgaard ‘06 Patent a orney, Boeing

Students connect with alumni, faculty, and industry professionals at the 2023 Empowering Women in STEM event.

but didn’t have many patents. I wanted to fill that need and to protect that intellectual property. I learned that to become a patent lawyer, it’s not just useful to have a background in the hard sciences, it’s actually required. In order to practice patent law, you must have a degree in engineering or a related field.

“This is something many engineers don’t know is an option for them. It’s a whole career path specifically for scientists and engineers who are also interested in law and intellectual property. And the problem-solving mindset you develop as an engineer sets you up perfectly for law school.

“I’m very grateful for my early experience with the UMassD ATMC that put me on that path.”

Tell us about your current job – what is your role? What do you enjoy most about your job?

“I am a patent a orney for Boeing, and I handle all aspects of intellectual property for Jeppeson and other Boeing subsidiaries. We’re a global organization, so I support people all over the world. As they’re developing new technology, I manage patent applications, trade secret protection, trademarks, and copyright protections.

“I’m most passionate about working with new engineers and so ware developers, showing them their innovations are intellection property and are worth protecting. O entimes, they don’t think it’s anything special, but it’s an asset with concrete value. I’m also an inventor myself and have filed 3 patents, so I understand the process from the engineer’s side as well.”

How did your UMass Dartmouth experience affect the trajectory of your career and your life?

“The ATMC set me up to get into industry right a er college, which led to other opportunities and ultimately to where I am today. The connections I made at UMassD also helped me get my job at Pra and Whitney. The skills I developed as an

undergrad set me up for success; I still look back on classes and things I learned 20 years ago.

“I can’t emphasize enough the quality of a UMassD engineering education. The professors are so directly involved with their students and their success.”

You continue to be an involved alumna – why is this important to you?

“I was so lucky to have the opportunities I have had, and I want to do whatever I can to offer the same to other students. Coming from a small state school, you might not have the same name recognition as an ‘elite’ university, but UMassD students are some of the best engineers in the U.S. I’ve worked with a lot of new engineers from universities all over the U.S., and I have never wavered in my belief that UMassD graduates are among the best. They deserve these opportunities.”

What advice would you give to current students?

“Network. Authentic networking is so important. It’s not just showing up and talking to as many people as possible, but really forming relationships and looking for mentors. You have to know how to put yourself in the right spaces and present yourself.

“The tech and engineering world can be really challenging, especially for women and people with diverse backgrounds. The biggest piece of advice I have is to find work that gets you engaged, and that will make the hard things worth it.”